Thursday, July 23, 2009

UN chief urges military support for Somalia

Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon called on all countries Thursday to provide urgent military support to Somalia's embattled transitional government, warning that its survival is at stake.

Two allied Islamist insurgent groups — al-Shabab and the Islamic Party — launched an offensive after the return of an exiled insurgent leader in April that has killed hundreds of Somalis and forced tens of thousands to flee their homes. Ban said the violence has worsened the humanitarian crisis in the country, with at least 3.2 million people — 43 percent of Somalia's population — requiring food and other aid.

The fragile U.N.-backed government and an undermanned, poorly resourced African Union peacekeeping force have struggled to defend government buildings, the port and airport in the capital, Mogadishu. The government holds only a few blocks in the city.

In a quarterly report to the U.N. Security Council, Ban appealed to the international community "not to waver in the face of the recent upsurge in fighting" and to continue supporting the government and working with U.N. envoy Ahmedou Ould Abdallah to encourage the insurgents and other opposition elements toward peace.

"The coming days and weeks will be critical," the secretary-general said. "The government clearly needs urgent military support in areas of personnel, arms and logistics to sustain its success in warding off insurgent attacks and defending key installations."

"I, therefore, appeal to the entire international community to render urgent support to the government of Somalia, without which it may not be able to establish itself," Ban said.

The transitional government led by President Sheik Sharif Sheik Ahmed has called for military and other assistance, but the response has been slow, though the U.S. government sent 40 tons of weapons last month.

As of June 30, the AU force in Mogadishu had 4,300 troops from Uganda and Burundi, just 54 percent of its authorized strength of 8,000. Ban said steps are under way to deploy a third battalion from Burundi. Sierra Leone and Malawi each pledged a battalion in June, but he said they need logistical support before they can deploy.

The secretary-general said it is important that donors who pledged over US$213 million in April to support the AU force and Somalia's security institutions honor their commitments — and he called for additional support to strengthen the peacekeeping force.

Somalia has not had a functioning government since the ouster of a longtime dictator in 1991 and is riven by fighting among clan warlords and an Islamist insurgency that gained momentum in 2006 and has killed thousands of civilians and sent hundreds of thousands fleeing for their lives.

Ban said he was "deeply concerned by attempts to use force and violence to topple the transitional federal government," stressing that they "must not be allowed to succeed."

"Insurgent groups, such as al-Shabab, are alleged to be extorting money from private companies and recruiting young people to join the fight against the government in Mogadishu, including child soldiers," he said.

The U.S. State Department says al-Shabab has links with al-Qaida, which the group has denied. But experts say hundreds of foreign jihadi fighters are helping the Islamist militias.

Ban said in the report that "al-Shabab has confirmed the presence of foreign fighters within its ranks and has stated openly that it is working with al-Qaida in Mogadishu to remove the government of Somalia."

"The foreign fighters, many of whom reportedly originate from Pakistan and Afghanistan, appear to be well trained and battle tested," the U.N. chief said, noting that they have been observed wearing hoods and directing offensive operations against the government in Mogadishu and neighboring regions.

As a result of the recent fighting, Ban said, there has also been a marked deterioration in the human rights situation with reports that insurgents have used civilians as human shields, which may constitute a war crime.

In parts of south-central Somalia, extreme interpretations of Islamic Sharia law have led to reported cases of beheadings, floggings, amputations, restrictions on freedom of movement and violations of women's rights, he said.

Ban said he was encouraged by ongoing international efforts to combat piracy, which still remains rampant.

The International Maritime Bureau reported "an exponential increase" in pirate activity in the Gulf and Aden and the Somali Basin during the first quarter of 2009, with 61 incidents reported compared to 6 in the same period in 2008, he said.

The bureau also reported that between January and early June there were 29 successful hijackings in the region, Ban said.

Source: The Associated Press

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